“Although the swim wasn’t great, the rest felt really good and any time under the hour you have to be happy with,” said Chaffey.

“It is hard to compare times on different courses and weather conditions even on the same courses, but I’ll take a time under 60 minutes any day.”

Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association’s Most Improved Junior Athlete of the Year for 2013, 14-year-old Matthew Stark, was second in the men’s TRI-3 class (1:18:12). Matthew was the youngest competitor in the record field of 33 triathletes at the national championships.

Queenslander Debbie Wendt won the women’s TRI-3 category (1:34:40).

Paratriathlon will make its Paralympic debut at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. There are seven classes of paratriathlon competition for athletes with different physical disabilities or vision impairment. Depending on the class, an athlete may use a handcycle, tandem bicycle or bicycle on the cycle section, while wheelchairs are permitted on the run section.